Imagine London today, without the Jubilee Line. The most powerful regional policy is transport and the most powerful form of transport is high-speed rail.”

* Phillip Hammond, UK Transport Secretary

Phillip Hammond, Transport Secretary, says plans for a high-speed link between the North and South of England will make trains the mode of choice and that "By creating a smaller Britain, where literally journey times from Leeds to London will be about 80 minutes, we change the geography, we change the way people think and we change the opportunities that are available. This great connectivity is fantastic news for the North East and other regions and will transform the economy, I have no doubt about that at all.”

* Paul Plummer, Network Rail Director of Planning and Development:

A report by Network Rail has found that the new high-speed line between London, Birmingham and Manchester will be essential in preventing overcrowding on the busy west coast main line.

Paul Plummer, Network Rail’s director of planning and development, says: “The west coast is vital to Britain’s economy. The success of the west coast since its modernisation has brought many challenges, and our strategy sets out a range of options to provide extra capacity and a better value railway.

“There is broad consensus that Britain needs a high-speed network to provide better, faster journeys for passengers and create the extra capacity we need. This strategy provides more evidence, if it were needed, that Britain must have a high-speed future.”

* Lord Adonis, former UK Transport Secretary:

Lord Adonis, former UK Transport Secretary involved in the proposal of the new high-speed line, claimed that it will herald an end to domestic flights and the carbon savings and environmental benefits will make it "manifestly in the public interest".

"This will be the year of high-speed rail," he said. "As a project it will define Britain for the 21st century. It will radically modernise our transport infrastructure and bring about a significant shift of traffic from car and the plane to the train, while potentially transforming the geography of our country as our cities are bought closer together."

* Tony Bosworth, Friends of the Earth spokesman:

Friends of the Earth spokesman Tony Bosworth supports the fast link rail, as long as the Government ensures it will lead to an overall reduction in carbon emissions.

He says: "A fast and efficient electric high-speed rail system could help reduce domestic flights and car journeys, but it will only be a low-carbon travel alternative if it is powered by renewable energy."

AGAINST

* Joe Rukin, Stop HS2 Campaign Director:

Stop HS2 campaign director Joe Rukin says that the project is a “massive, massive gamble”, adding that "There is no business case, no environmental case and no money for HS2. The more we find out about the project, the worse it seems to be."

Rukin also claimes the plan to bridge the north-south divide is not possible, as according to research “if you join a stronger economy to a weaker economy, the weaker economy disbenefits and the stronger economy benefits”.

* Steve Rodrick, Chief Officer of the Chilterns Conservation Board:

Steve Rodrick, chief officer of the Chilterns Conservation Board, said: "High-speed rail would change the nature of the area for ever. It will be a gash across the landscape with the loss of soil, trees and habitats that can never be replaced.

"These things are noisier than people think. We have stood next to [the Channel tunnel rail link] and it was loud. We are not opposed to this because we are Nimbys, it is because we want to protect the tranquillity of the Chilterns."

* Sir Terry Pratchett, author and former resident of affected area:

Sir Terry Pratchett, the author, spent his youth in the Chilterns. "We used to go looking for rare orchids... it's a beautiful place," he said. "The country is already sufficiently endowed with railway services. We don't need to be digging up the Chilterns to add another one. Bloody tin boxes going very, very fast don't do anything for the countryside."

* Cheryl Gillan, Welsh Secretary and Chesham & Amersham MP:

Cheryl Gillan, whose constituency lies within the proposed rail plans, is said to be infuriated by the plans and has even threatened to defy the party whip on this issue, saying that “My constituency comes first in all instances. The impact on the whole area would be absolutely phenomenal.”

* Edmund King, AA President:

The AA is worried about disproportionate Government spending on roads. According to a statement from Edmund King, president of the AA: "While we understand that transport must share its fair burden of expenditure cuts, we are making the case for road investment to reduce congestion, reduce CO2 and to reduce economic gloom.

More than 90 per cent of passenger journeys are by road and hence roads should not be hit by disproportionate cuts. The Government appears to be suffering from 'tunnel vision' by continuing to extol the virtues of high speed rail which will do nothing or very little to reduce road congestion or help the environment or the economy. The economy depends on good road links so cutting road expenditure and maintenance too far would backfire and lead to crumbling roads, more congestion and more accidents."